SPD and sleep disorders

by Amanda Sullivan
(Dallas,Tx, USA)

My 2 year old son has a lot of trouble falling asleep, or being sleepy for the matter. He can be awake for 12 hours at a time then sleep for 30 min and be up another 8 to 12 hours. He can not seem to stay on any type of sleep pattern. I have tried bed time routines, strict daytime routines and so on. Nothing seems to help or do any better than the other. I have tried talking to his pediatrician about his sleep and have not been herd. What can I do to get him some help?

What questions or concerns can I bring up to his doctor so they will actually listen to me? I feel like I am being overly obsessed with this but there is something wrong, and so far all I have to show for my efforts is he is smart and that is why he is having trouble. This is not exactly the help I was looking for. I have even had him seen by the ECI (Early Childhood Intervention)group and they said he does not qualify for their help. Please I am going nuts trying to find help for him.

Thank you for any help you can give me.Amanda

Comments for SPD and sleep disorders

My daughter also had a very hard time going to sleep when she was younger. To be honest we began co sleeping with her when she was first born, she cried all the time as a baby. It was a hard process to break the habit but worth all the years we were able to get sleep.

I would suggest going to bed with your child, stay until their asleep then go to your own bed, hopefully that will work. It's actually how i broke our daughter from co sleeping. She's eleven now and she is still a night owl but her sleep patterns have gotten much better.

Mar 21, 2010Rating

I posted a picture od what the bed will look likeby: Anonymous

Look on the real stories page and find "when you child has trouble sleeping try this..." you will find the picture of what the nest will look like. that's what picture i used to make my daughters bed. I also look up pastel wall colors and find the blue or green are for calming. I notice that my daughter was calmer listen to ocean sounds. you can find machines in different stores that you can listen too before you buy the cd. Special need children aren't able to close there eyes the way we do for sleep and sometime can't relax there mind. so setting up their room is are important to do. I noticed that the cheerful colors made even my friends' children flock to my daughters' room to play, so the color that was in there before was to much exciting. now it's very relaxing.

Mar 21, 2010Rating

making the room ready for sleepby: Anonymous

I made my daughter a special sheet to help her sleep. you need two king sizes pillows, two king sizes pillow cases, and a twin sheet or full depending on the size of the bed that they are sleep on. Sew the one pillow case two the sheet on one side and the curve it over and sew the other side of the pillow case two the bed sheet., long ways. Do the same w/ the other but only allowing room for the child to be able to sleep between the two pillow cases. Put the two pillow inside the cases. make sure to leave room at the top of the sheet for there pillow to rest there head on. What you are making is kind of like a nest. it gives the child a cozy feeling. to have those pillows on either sized of them. (make sure to use a plain sheet w/o patterns.) Paint the room a pastel color like blue, or green. this help w/ calming. Then play nature sounds in the room to relax the mind. Go in there room after it's complete and talk w/ them about to paint color the nature sounds and the bed this helps them w/ the changes and helps them be involved w/ the idea. My daughter sleeps all night now.

Mar 20, 2010Rating

hold him if he will let youby: Anonymous

Of course all kids need different things. My son was not a sleeper to the extent that I was very concerned that he would suffer long term damage from sleep deprivations (i worried for myself as well). He is now 5 and wakes only a few times a night. I was not heard or really believed and was very frustrated! I decided to through out all the rules and do what ever he needed. I ended up holding him for all naps and night sleeping and co-slept. as long as we were touching he would sleep. It seem like a alot of work when saying it, but the relief of him actually sleeping was wonderful and now a beautiful part of our bond. I also turned to homeopathy and cranium sacral work.